With the installation of a 1MW wind turbine drive and motor supplied by Emerson CT distributor PS Logatec, the output of Slovenia's best cement producer has been guaranteed.
This project, implemented by Hidroin_eniring doo of Ljubljana, aims to improve the reliability of large blowers that supply hot air in cement rotary kilns. A crucial control feature is preventing the massive four-meter blower from operating at its resonant frequency, which would cause accumulated vibrations and damage the blower.
All the equipment involved in this installation is gigantic. The wind turbine motor weighs over 6 tons, has a main shaft diameter of 140mm, and three of the four cables connected to the motor are 240mm in diameter. The current in the 690V system exceeds 1000A! Unsurprisingly, the drive system used in this project is also large—one Unidrive SP modular drive with one master unit and eight slave units, together fulfilling the 1MW requirement. The master unit control unit is equipped with an SM ProfibusDP module for direct communication with the SCADA control system, as well as an SM Ethernet module for remote monitoring and access.
The key motor selected is a 690V LEROY-SOMER FSA three-phase asynchronous AC motor, which is designed for a long service life in the harshest operating environments, including the operating conditions around cement rotary kilns.
PS Logatec was responsible for drive fixing and installation, and the device was installed in an air-conditioned workshop in a cement plant.
Vibration signals detected by sensors on the blower are fed back to the SCADA system. During operation, the system ensures that the blower motor quickly passes the critical frequency during acceleration and deceleration. A small motor, electrically coupled and disconnected from the main motor, is also installed on the motor shaft to slow down the blower when not in operation, preventing thermal damage to the rotary kiln.
Because Unidrive SP is modularly designed, it is completely safe for customers to run, and the drive still has the ability to operate at a reduced rate even if one module fails.
Emerson CT's Unidrive SPM series offers a versatile and cost-effective solution for high-power drive requirements. Easy installation and multiple operating modes (multi-pulse, active input front-end, or common DC bus configurations are all available) reduce energy costs. This modular series offers 12, 18, or 24-pulse configurations for a clean grid and is ideal for use with built-in dynamic load braking controllers or regenerative feedback control. Energy can be shared via a common DC bus within the brake motor compartment, further reducing costs.
